Kent Matthes named SEC Player of the Year (Courtesy of Alabama Media Relations)
FROM CBB NEWS SOURCE
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Alabama outfielder Kent Matthes was selected 2009 SEC Baseball Player of the Year, LSU’s Louis Coleman was named SEC Pitcher of the Year and Florida first baseman Preston Tucker and LSU reliever Matty Ott were named SEC Co-Freshmen of the Year by a vote of the league’s 12 head baseball coaches. The coaches also tabbed LSU skipper Paul Mainieri as SEC Coach of the Year. Ben Jones of Auburn was named SEC Baseball Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
Matthes tied the Alabama single-season record with his 27th home run of the season in the series finale at Auburn on May 16. Doug Duke also hit 27 home runs in 1986. Matthes hit an opposite-field, solo home run in the second inning to jump start the UA offense with a 1-0 lead. Matthes also became the school’s all-time leader with his 23rd outfield assist in the series opener against Auburn. Matthes carries a .362 batting average into Hoover and leads with SEC with a .883 slugging percentage.
Coleman went 10-2 on the mound for LSU with a 2.99 ERA to lead the SEC in wins. He also struck out 105 batters this season while walking only 19 in 90-plus innings pitched. Tucker (.338 overall, .350 SEC) drove in six runs during the UK series, giving him 71 on the season to break the UF freshman record previously held by Brad Wilkerson (68, 1996). The rookie first baseman totaled 40 RBI in 29 SEC games. Ott led the SEC in saves with 12 on the year while holding a 2.18 ERA.
Jones carries a 3.84 GPA in mechanical engineering. He is a two-time Academic All-SEC selection (2007, 2008) and ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District 4 First Team selection in 2008 and 2009. He is one of only two position players in the SEC to be named to a district first team . He is also Auburn’s 2008-09 Male Student Athlete of the Year. Under Mainieri, LSU claimed the 14th Southeastern Conference title in school history last weekend, as the Tigers won two of three games at Mississippi State to end the regular season. The 2009 SEC regular-season crown is LSU’s first since 2003.
Coaches are not permitted to vote for their own players, thus a unanimous selection earns 11 of the 12 first-team votes. The complete 2009 All-SEC Team follows:
SEC PLAYER OF THE YEAR – *Kent Matthes, Alabama
SEC PITCHER OF THE YEAR – *Louis Coleman, LSU
SEC CO-FRESHMEN OF THE YEAR – Preston Tucker, Florida; Matty Ott, LSU
SEC SCHOLAR-ATHLETE OF THE YEAR – Ben Jones, Auburn
SEC COACH OF THE YEAR – Paul Mainieri, LSU
FIRST TEAM
1B – Rich Poythress, Georgia
2B – Ross Wilson, Alabama; Josh Adams, Florida
3B – Jake Smith, Alabama
SS – Josh Rutledge, Alabama; Brian Harris, Vanderbilt
C – Blake Forsythe, Tennessee
OF – *Kent Matthes, Alabama
OF – Avery Barnes, Florida
OF – Jordan Henry, Ole Miss
DH – Blake Dean, LSU
P – *Louis Coleman, LSU
P – Austin Hyatt, Alabama
RP – Matty Ott, LSU
SECOND TEAM
1B – Nick Ebert, South Carolina
2B – Chris Bisson, Kentucky
3B – Joseph Sanders, Auburn
SS – Chris Wade, Kentucky; Bobby Haney, South Carolina
C – Justin Dalles, South Carolina
OF – Steven Liddle, Vanderbilt
OF – DeAngelo Mack, South Carolina
OF – Ryan Schimpf, LSU
DH – Bryce Massanari, Georgia
P – Scott Bittle, Ole Miss
P – Anthony Ranaudo, LSU; Drew Pomeranz, Ole Miss
RP – Billy Bullock, Florida
ALL FRESHMAN TEAM
1B – *Preston Tucker, Florida
2B – Riley Reynolds, Vanderbilt
3B – Colby May, Georgia
SS – Zach Osborne, Tennessee
OF – Taylor Dugas, Alabama
OF – Mikie Mahtook, LSU
OF – Jackie Bradley, Jr., South Carolina
DH – Aaron Westlake, Vanderbilt
P – Nick Routt, Mississippi State
P – Nolan Belcher, South Carolina
RP – *Matty Ott, LSU
ALL DEFENSIVE TEAM
P – Trevor Holder, Georgia
1B – Rich Poythress, Georgia
2B – Ross Wilson, Alabama
SS – Bobby Haney, SC; Brian Harris, Vanderbilt
3B – Jake Smith, Alabama
C – Micah Gibbs, LSU
OF – Matt den Dekker, Florida
OF – Whit Merrifield, South Carolina
OF – Trent Mummey, Auburn
* unanimous selection
